Pan Macedonian 66th Convention

PAN MACEDONIAN SOCIETY
OF GREATER PHILADELPHIA
P.O. BOX 151 BROOMALL PENNSYLVANIA, 19008

PRESS RELEASE

A message of empowerment of Youth, “philoxenia” from The City of Brotherly Love and independent thinking provided the thematic backdrop to the 66th National Convention of the Pan-Macedonian Association USA, at the beautiful Sheraton Society Hill in the city of Philadelphia PA, where the convention was held from May 25-28th, 2012. The planning and execution of the convention was the undertaken by the organizing committee whose members were formed from the leadership of the Philadelphia Chapters of Pavlos Melas, Amalia and Youth of Alexander the Great. Co-chairs of the four day event were Kosmas Yiantsos, Cheri Christakis and Costas Mitoulis. The 66th Annual Convention was creatively planned and well-executed to its last detail offering hospitality, fellowship, education and entertainment for 65 delegates and over 400 attendees from across the United States including the states of Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Florida,  Texas,  Nevada and California.

Cheri Christakis edited an elegant convention album which included messages and wishes of members and friends, historical articles as well as a special memorial dedication to Evangelia Mataraga Papageorge, a longtime exceptional Past President of the Amalia Chapter, who died of breast cancer at the age of 69 in the middle of the preparations for this convention.  His Eminence Archbishop Dimitrios honored the Pan Macedonians with a letter of support and mentioned the persistence of the members of the association to insist on the historical truth and to maintain their original positions on the name issue, despite all of the difficulties they are facing.  The Mayor of Philadelphia, the Honorable Michael Nutter, welcomed attendees with a sincere written message in which he commended the association for its endeavors since 1946.

A congressional proclamation was also received from the Honorable Robert E. Andrews, United States House of Representatives, First District New Jersey.

Mr. Fotis Gerosopoulos was elected to preside as President for the Convention; Mr George Papadopoulos was elected as the Vice president and Ms Maria Hatzinakos as the convention secretary. During the convention the reelected Supreme President Mr. Konstantinos Hatzistefanidis mentioned: “I am proud and honored to continue to serve this fine Association with such history. The Pan-Macedonian Association continues its struggle against the goals of the South Slavs to appropriate the name ‘Macedonia’”.

On Saturday, 30 young adults participated in an ambitious Scavenger Hunt named “Alexander’s Philadelphia Conquest”.  Five teams of 6 who hail from different states completed 50 tasks including searching for historic, cultural and fun landmarks. They used mobile phone images as proof of task completion. One example of fun tasks was singing the song “Macedonia Xakousti” to a total stranger on a Philadelphia Street ! 

Saturday afternoon “The Macedonian Heritage Panel” was a spirited and thought-provoking roundtable discussion led by experts and scholars knowledgeable about the history of Macedonia and contemporary issues in the region.  Professors Marcus Templar, Sher Malik and Nina Gatzoulis were panelists who each provided a unique perspective to the topic.  They all framed out their arguments of “why Greece cannot and should not accept a permanent name of FYROM,  that includes the term “Macedonia”. Messer’s Nick Yiantsos and Chris Christakis were the forum moderators.  Adding to the panel discussion were thoughtful closing comments from The Editor of KATHIMERINI Newspaper from Athens, Greece, Mr. Nicholaos Xydakis, who explained the very challenging political position Greece is in with the Euro crisis and its need to think broader and more strategically in dealing with the Macedonian name from a geo-political perspective.

Sunday morning saw a group of 50 conventioneers “Walking Ben Franklin to Church”.  The group of 50 strolled 12 blocks through the historic parks and streets of Old City Philadelphia, accompanied by tour commentary offered by Philadelphia’s favorite citizen, starting at the hotel and ending just in time for church at Saint George Cathedral.

Sunday afternoon’s panel discussion featured perhaps the world’s most topical subject in the news for the last two years, “Greece and The Euro Economic Crisis”. The forum  began with an introduction offered by an actor playing Alexander Hamilton, a Founding Father, economist, political philosopher, and first United States Secretary of the Treasury who cleverly wove the theme of early American commerce and banking along with the role of state government into the minds of attendees. Presentations followed from George Tsetsekos, Dean, LeBow College of Business, Drexel University who provided a quantitative fact based perspective on how Greece got into the economic trouble it is in.  Kyriakos Kontopoulos, Professor of Sociology, Temple University, provided a sociological perspective that, while this one is unprecedented, Greece has been through 7 such crises over the last 200 years. Panagiotis Tsaoussis - SVP Operational Risk, ING Insurance presented an International perspective which was highlighted by a very graphical presentation accounting for which countries owe how much and to whom.  Georg Huellstrunk, Finance & Operations Consultant presented Germany’s perspective, the impact of the German press and an apparent recent softening on the part of the German left wing towards the balance of austerity and investment in growth.  Tasos Kyriakidis, General Manager and Greek entrepreneur from NG Publishing in Thessaloniki provided perhaps the only solution-oriented view on what is necessary for Greece to innovate and compete in a Global Economy.   Nicholaos Xydakis , Editor in Chief at KATHIMERINI News Paper in Athens provided a politically oriented chronological timeline leading up the current events and the elections in June.  Evangelos Delikouras brilliantly prepared and  moderated the event and led the attendees through a question and answer session where the background provided by the presenters allowed for even deeper analysis on the subject.

Approximately 350 people attended The Black Tie Gala Banquet of the convention at the Sheraton Grand Ballroom on Sunday evening May 27. The event opened with an energetic dance performance by The Pontian Society Akritai Youth of Greater Philadelphia. The event was emceed by Nick Demourtzidis and Daphne Ahtaridis Demourtzidis along with Co-Chair Cheri Christakis who offered some opening remarks.  The presiding Clergy was Archimandrite Nektarios Cottros of St. Demertrios Greek Orthodox Church, Upper Darby, PA, who asked for a moment to remember the fallen on Memorial Day and offered a blessing for the banquet.  Actors portraying Alexander and Elizabeth Hamilton welcomed the diners to Philadelphia and encouraged the convention participants to remember early American and Greek principals when deliberating the economic situation. This was followed by the singing of both National Anthems. Additional remarks were then abruptly interrupted by a surprise crowd-pleasing skit performed by two actors playing Pavlos Melas and Alexander The Great who had performed in 6 episodes of the You Tube video advertisements leading up to the event.  The organization recognized Mr. Theodore G. Spiropoulos, Coordinator SAE, USA Region, for continual support of our national issues. Mr. Paul Kotrotsios, President of HANK, received the award on behalf of Mr. Spyropoulos. The organization also recognized the following living Past Supreme Presidents whose accomplishments were commemorated with engraved plaques showing the esteem and gratitude of all Pan Macedonians: Mr. Peter Mitoulis (75-76), Mr. Steven Gagas (78-80), Mr. Andreas Bouikidis (80-82), Mr, Napoleon Damianides (82-84), Dr. George Ahtaridis, M.D. (86-89), Mr. George Papadopoulos (89-91), Mr. Fotis Gerasopoulos (91-94) Mr. Athanasios Vulgaropoulos (94-96), Mr. Evangelos Michalopoulos (96-98), Dr. Seraphim P. Papajianis, M.D. (98-2000), Mrs. Nina (Eliconis) Condodina- Peropoulos (2000-02), Mr. Sotirios Proios (02-04), Mr. Panagiotis Spilliakos (04-07), Mrs. Nina Gatzoulis (07-10), Dr. Andonios Papadopoulos, M.D. (10-11). 

The organization recognized six Past Supreme Presidents whose accomplishments were commemorated with engraved plaques showing the esteem and gratitude of all Pan Macedonians. 

Dances by Sons and Daughters of Alexander the Great from Greater Boston preceded the dinner. The Spirit of Macedonia group from Philadelphia wore traditional masks and carried swords as they performed dances from Naoussa, Greece featuring the Boules and Genitsaroi, Apokries pre-Lenten Carnaval dances.  Another treat for the attendees was an artistically choreographed performance featuring a reunion of past youth dance members.  Music for dancing at the event which went on with “serious kefi” until 2:00 AM was provided by the band, “Neo Kyma”. 

On the final day of the convention, Monday, May 28th, the Youth of Alexander the Great hosted 300 attendees at its annual Pan Macedonian Memorial Day picnic at Ridley Creek State Park, in Media, Pennsylvania.  Music, soccer, volleyball, tavli and great food provided through member donations were provided to all who attended.

The four day event in Philadelphia was arguably one of the most ambitious and successful conventions of the Pan Macedonian Association in years.  

On Sunday afternoon at the conclusion of the deliberations, the following people were elected to Supreme Council:

• Kostas Hatzistefanidis-Supreme President
• Dr. Panagiotis Baltatzis-Supreme Vice-President
• Haralambos Stathopoulos - Supreme Vice-President and Youth President
• Demetrios Chatzis-Supreme Secretary
• Sophia Stroumbakis-Supreme Treasurer
• Demetris Tassopoulos-Treasurer’s Assistant

The following were elected as District Governors: Rhoda Vasiliadis Mitkonis, Iordanis Alexiadis, Sophia Meskos, Stelios Kirimlis, Christos Papademas, Maria Hatzinakos, Dr. Ioannis Kostoulas, and Nick Komnenos.


The following are our Resolutions and Declarations from the convention:

RESOLUTION

The Pan-Macedonian Association of the USA in a duly convened meeting at its 66th National Convention held from May 25 to 28, 2012 in, Philadelphia, PA decided the following:

1. We shall never accept, for the country of The FYROM, any name that will include the term Macedonia or any of its derivatives. We urge the newly elected Greek government to investigate the pitfalls and potential damage to Greece by accepting a potential official name of The FYROM that includes the term Macedonia or any of its derivatives.
2. The newly elected government should seriously consider that under no circumstances the Pan-Macedonian Associations worldwide, including Macedonian associations in Greece would ever accept the terms Macedonia/Macedonians for the name of the neighboring country in any possible way. Furthermore we acknowledge the critical economic situation in Greece, but our national issues are also of equal importance. We should not let extreme elements to endanger the national sovereignty of Greece.
3. The name Macedonia is unquestionably a historical and cultural heritage of Greece.  The history of Macedonia and particularly its name are NOT NEGOTIABLE and as a paternal legacy cannot be ceded to third parties.
4. The permanent name of the country of The FYROM should express its multiethnic composition and thus shall permit all its inhabitants to co-exist peacefully.
5. The Pan-Macedonian Association expects from the Greek Government, the Political Leadership of Greece, the United States Government, and the rest of the International Community that the final agreed upon name of the country of The FYROM, should clearly differentiate the Slavic population of that country from us, the Macedonians.
6. We demand that the people of Hellenic origin residing in The FYROM be accorded all their human rights.
7. The Macedonian identity is historically and culturally Hellenic. We do not accept any concept of another “Macedonian” ethnicity and “Macedonian” language.
8. It is our sacred duty to continue our struggle for the rights of Macedonia.  History demands it.
9. In the event that the final agreed upon name of the FYROM includes the term “Macedonia” or its derivatives, should be ratified by a referendum by the Greek people.
10. The final agreed upon name of the FYROM should be reflected in its constitution.
11. We fully support the existence of a country north of Greece with the interim name of The FYROM.  We support its efforts to join the EU and NATO, provided its final official name does not include the term "Macedonia" or its derivatives.  Further, we harbor no animosity or any ill feelings towards its citizens or its Diaspora. Furthermore we expect good neighborly relations as an additional criterion for its Euro-Atlantic integration.